This week in the continued journey of the health care project I have found myself privileged enough to join a group of Goma doctors in a Continuing Medical Education (CME) Conference. This meeting has been graciously hosted by a group of American doctors who have formed an organization by the name of DOCS, which stands for Doctors on Call for Service. The main objective of these conferences is to keep physicians in the area up-to-date on the advances of the medical field abroad, as well as help further the education process, resulting in skills that are continuously improving. Also, this week a few members of UNGANA trekked to the rural village of Rugerero to find out more about the health needs of surrounding villages. We were able to meet with community leaders who informed us of the vast need of medical supplies, availability of clinics, and financing to even go see a doctor. Even though the government of Rwanda covers 90% of health care costs the remaining 10% can still be a devastating bill for an average villager. It humbles me to see that resources of all types are so scarce here, and now I feel stupid for ever complaining about a $20 co-pay…

Well, as the work continues I find that referring to the initiatives set by the Rwandese government has helped me stay on track and know what I must focus my efforts on if I am to really make a difference. I’ve also learned that the meaning of UNGANA, to bring people together, is what will ultimately help me be successful in this battle to achieve these goals. The help of local leaders, clinicians, and friends have put this into perspective for me and I will keep this close in mind to honor that. Thanks again for checking in this week and I know that the future will be well worth the wait. So, mwirirwe (Kinyarwandan for “good bye”) for now…

Dave Kuwada

Health Associate

Rwanda's Rebirth

Being that this is my first blog, I'll introduce myself. My name is Alex Erickson, I am the Managing Director of the Ungana Foundation, an exciting new development not-for-profit I am very proud to be a part of. In my meetings with government ministry officials, local community leaders and everyday people, I can't help but notice the positive reaction we receive for this project! I am equally impressed by the great opportunities for change that lay before our team of dedicated individuals.

Its hard to believe Rwanda crumbled only 15 years ago under a horrific genocide. The country's GDP fell by almost 80%, the government was completely washed, and millions of Rwandese were left traumatized. But in my personal experience I have seen a resiliancy in these people that is unmatched. They are innovating, rehabiliting themselves and flourishing as an example to the East African Community. However, don't let this inspirational story fool you. Rwanda is a dense nation of 10 million people, 90% of which are still in poverty. It still has a long way to go.

Its my hope our organization can make a difference here. We are giving our all to build the best supplemental primary education program. We will ensure entrepreneurs have proper training and financial needs. Physical health is something we see as a necessity for development. And we want to see Rwanda utilize their natural resources to the fullest, however small they may be.

We are thankful for all of your support and stay tuned for updates on our progress!

Mwrirwe

Alexander Erickson

Managing Director

UNGANA's MasterMinds

After a morning preparing materials for the MasterMinds Program and adjusting curriculum, two of the MasterMind volunteers and I visited a local community center in the afternoon. Time not used with MasterMinds gives the volunteers the opportunity to help out at the community center, aiding head teachers in English instruction. We rode motorcycle taxis through puddles on the roads of Gisenyi, past views of Nyiragongo Volcano and Lake Kivu, until we arrived at the gates to meet the director. There we discussed options for future opportunities: practicing teaching methods, gaining familiarity with Rwandan culture, and learning much from new friends that live deeply and love openly. Project Community looks forward to the arrival of four more volunteers next week and the beginning of UNGANA MasterMinds. I’m excited to be in Rwanda amidst hard-working people and imaginative minds.

Peace to all,

Ashley Linford
Programs Associate

Education = Power

When we begin to see this simple equation as reality, we see its immense value. We do not expect our cell phones to work with an uncharged battery, nor do we expect our televisions to function while not plugged in. We even easily comprehend our folly when we are weak with hunger.

How then can we expect progress without education?

To give a person an education is to charge their batteries. Once this is achieved, several things can occur. The charge can lay dormant, slowly losing power as it lies without use. Or, it can spark a desire to act. With something as simple as an education, amazing things can take place. This is easy to note in conversation here in Rwanda. There is a literal hunger for knowledge. With the UNGANA MasterMinds Program almost underway, we can see how the children ache for increased learning. Our volunteers are working hard to prepare lesson plans that will sharpen the children’s minds, opening their brains to new concepts and increasing their desire to learn. Along with our Rwandan counterparts, we are hopeful that by working together, we can move in the right direction. This is our hope, and our mission.

UNGANA MasterMinds

The UNGANA Foundation

Thoughts on a Health Reform...

Well the Ungana Foundation has set up camp! Alex and Alyssa have been back and forth between Kigali (the capital city) and Gisenyi to establish official status within the country and I have been meeting with hospitals and doctors to set up programs within the area. Recently I’ve been privileged to tour military hospitals, public hospitals, and private clinics where I’ve seen overcrowded beds and ancient medical equipment. In my journeys I’ve realized the vast need for doctors, machinery, and simple medical supplies especially in the area of Goma, DRC. The few doctors that are in the area try and pull their resources together to make up for this and to accommodate the needs of their patients. I met with one Congolese doctor by the name of Jonathan who told me the great need, especially for physicians. In Goma there is no such thing as a specialty. Doctors here perform operations that are normally done by cardiovascular surgeons, ENTs, OBGYNs, and Neurosurgeons in the states. It’s amazing to see the skill set that these few doctors have acquired purely out of necessity.
Currently, I’ve been sending out emails and trying to reconnect with people who might be able to help us in our quest to relieve the pressures on the health care system here. I’ve tried reaching out to university alumni, friends, big and small businesses alike to see what they can contribute, however, now I can only wait to see what responses I get.
This summer the health care department will be putting on seminars for local health care workers and community leaders to fully establish the Ungana Foundation within the area. Other projects currently being set up are our medical student volunteer program and the medical equipment program. A med student from USC is currently working with me to establish the education seminars and the medical student volunteer program that will start next summer. I’ve also been working with a past co-worker on developing a program to move unused medical equipment from the U.S. to local hospitals and clinics. Things are on their way, but still much work has to be done. Hopefully, with the help of hospital admin, doctors, and people back in the states we can achieve some of these goals we have set out for. I guess only time will tell, so until next time………

Gisenyi: Getting Down to Business...

Upon our arrival in Rwanda we were fortunate enough to be greeted by our good friends Dou Dou and Solange. We traveled through the sunset to Dou Dou’s home in Gisenyi that would serve as our temporary base until our new headquarters was ready. Though we entered Gisenyi with tired bodies, our minds were eager and alive with the knowledge of the incredible work we knew we could accomplish through diligence and dedication. The next morning we wasted no time getting our operations up and running by establishing internet connection and setting up meetings for the following weeks. HAVING ATTAINED THE OLPC CONTRACT (Sorry this point cannot be stressed enough) we had much work to do in terms of setting the program up for success. Over the next week Alyssa and Alex met with U.L.K. Gisenyi, the school that UNGANA is working alongside to deploy the 100 XO laptops. Pleasantly surprised by the obedience and energy of the students as they formed lines and sang out chants in order of their grade, Alyssa and Alex knew they stood before the bright future of Rwanda. They left U.L.K. feeling inspired about their role in providing opportunities to the youth of Rwanda. This mindset would however be transformed in their search for an orphanage to employ the Club Go Volunteer program. The jarring realization about the vast amount of assistance needed to provide for the hundreds of orphans in Gisenyi alone is overwhelming and daunting. As heart-wrenching a picture that the orphanages depicted, the amazing spirit of the children and workers could not help but inspire some action and hope. With that, the UNGANA Foundation, in addition to helping 300 youths acquire the skills they need to become the future leaders of Rwanda, are currently seeking donations to provide basic needs to the nursery branch of a local Gisenyi orphanage. If you are interested in donating supplies, please email unganafoundation@gmail.com for more information. Although the UNGANA team is busy with meetings, project planning and all the other elements that go into setting up a new organization, they somehow find time to catch up with their regional friends. It goes without saying that the organization has been truly blessed with an amazing network of people at home and in Gisenyi. Through our friendships with Rwandans and Congolese we are able to gain valuable insight into our host community while establishing life-long bonds. And now that we have established our operational headquarters we truly feel as though we are on our way to becoming a valuable addition the Gisenyi community. We are honored to be able to work with such amazing people in a truly beautiful country and will keep you all posted about our work. For the latest daily information you can check us out on Twitter by searching tweetUNGANA, on Facebook, or on our website www.unganafoundation.org.

 

 

The Journey Begins...

After weeks of hectic traveling, the Ungana Foundation is finally planting their roots in their new home base of Gisenyi, Rwanda. Please forgive our lack of updates, but in the coming stories you will soon understand why we have been largely unable to report our journey until the present time. Before the long narrative of our story takes place, it is necessary to thank all who have wished us well in our travels and have given their support and blessings to help ensure our safety. We would also like to thank all of the hard work that has been poured into this project by our associates, volunteers, friends and family, without whom we would not be able to call the Ungana Foundation a success. Gratitude aside, it is time to begin our tale. Picking up where our last post left off, we boarded a plane to Doha, Qatar. Taking full advantage of this stopover, we met with the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service to share our project with students and faculty in hopes to inspire students to start their own organization. After conversing with the students and faculty we felt energized about our work and ready to truly impact the lives of our host community. Even more invigorating is that right before our presentation we found out that:WE HAD RECEIVED THE OLPC CONTRACT!!! I apologize for the caps, but this point really really needs to be emphasized. Because not only are we starting our Social Entrepreneurial program alongside our Community volunteer program, we also have the ability to inspire the youth of Gisenyi through the deployment of 100 laptops! With this news we were eager to get to Rwanda and start providing opportunity and inspiration to the people of Rwanda. But before we could head to our final destination, it was necessary to conduct research on our Banana Fiber Machinery options in India. It is difficult to think how a five hour flight can take you from a calm commercially developed city to an overcrowded noisy world, but it was this shock that we experienced at 3:40 AM upon our arrival in Mumbai. Something that must be said about India above all else is the astounding kindness of the people. Through heat waves, night trains and somewhat terrifying rickshaw rides, our experiences with the people of Indian provided some sanity in our new uncertain surroundings. During our stay in India we learned much about the mechanical process of banana fiber and had the opportunity to witness the extraction of Banana Fibers first hand. This experience alongside our meeting with various organizations provided valuable information to help us in establishing our main project, Investment in Ideas for the Future (IIF). Although incredibly beneficial, the trip to India was not without its challenges. The hectics of our travel that I had referred to earlier in the post can be attributed mainly to our erratic schedule. In brief, within 48 hours we had arrived in Mumbai, travelled to Chennai at 11:00 AM and boarded a train to Tiruchi at 10:30PM. This may not sound as challenging, but add in incredible heat mixed with humidity, the second largest population in the world, 8 large bags and no sleep and hopefully you can see our difficulties. All complaints aside, we left India with a better sense of our project, new friends and a readiness to work towards our objectives. After 6 planes, two overnight trains, a variety of taxi's, and some foot work we arrived in our home and place of work for the next 3 months. Upon arriving in Kigali you cannot help but feel a sense of refreshment, especially coming from a long flight from India. The air is crisp and the streets are clean while the scenery is absolutely breathtaking. Through our three hour ride through the sunset and darkness of Rwanda, it was finally possible to take a deep breath and reflect upon the enormity of the work we have set out to accomplish. In the following post I will elaborate on our time thus far in Gisenyi and provide an overview of the work we hope to accomplish over the next three months, stay tuned....